4 Easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids

Your child will love making these fun and festive Thanksgiving crafts — and you will love the quick and easy steps! While making these Thanksgiving crafts, take the opportunity to talk to your child about Thanksgiving and what it means to be thankful and generous to others.

The pumpkin is a classic symbol of fall and Thanksgiving. Your child can enjoy making a simple Thanksgiving decoration while practicing coordination and fine motor skills.

Materials:

• Sturdy paper plates
• Craft glue watered down to a paint consistency
• Paintbrush
• Orange tissue paper cut in small squares
• Green construction paper cut into a small rectangle

Directions:

1. Paint the wrong side of the paper plate with the watered-down glue.
2. Glue pieces of the orange tissue paper onto the plate.
3. Glue the green construction paper to the top.

Have your child gather some fall leaves and use them to make "feathers" on an adorable paper cup turkey. Once it's complete the turkey will be a cute decoration for your tabletop or mantel.

Materials:

• Paper cup
• Brown craft paint
• Paintbrush
• Fall leaves
• Glue
• White, orange and red construction paper
• Black pen
• Scissors

Directions:

1. With the paintbrush, apply the brown paint to the paper cup. Allow it to dry.
2. Turn the cup upside down and glue fall leaves to the back to make the turkey's feathers.
3. Cut out two small white circles with your scissors. Use your black pen to put a black dot in the center of each circle, then glue them on to the cup to create the eyes.
4. Cut out a squiggle from the red construction paper to form the gobbler, then cut out a triangle from the orange construction paper for the beak. Glue both pieces on to the cup.
5. Cut out two feet from the orange construction paper, and glue them to the bottom lip of the cup.

Use this craft to talk about our hands and how they can be helpful and kind to others.

Materials:

• Orange, red, yellow and brown construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Ribbon

Directions:

1. Trace your child's hand four to six times on each color of paper.
2. Cut out each hand print.
3. Alternate colors while gluing the palm of each hand print together, keeping the fingers pointed toward the outside of the wreath.
4. Cut a piece of ribbon, tie it in a bow and attach it to the top of the wreath.

This is a perfect way to document the amazing, funny and honest things that your child says. You'll be sure to keep this project for years to come.

Materials:

• Light blue cardstock paper
• Brown, orange and yellow construction paper
• Glue stick
• Black marker
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Draw a tree trunk complete with bare branches on the brown construction paper.
2. Write "I am thankful for... " on the tree trunk.
3. Cut out the tree and glue it to the blue cardstock.
4. Cut leaves out of the brown, orange and yellow construction paper.
5. Ask your child what he or she is thankful for and write one answer on each leaf.
6. Glue the leaves around the branches of the tree.

Find out how to preserve real autumn leaves >> 

Image credit: Amy Vowles

More Thanksgiving and fall crafts

3 Fall crafts for kids
Make a fall welcome sign
Autumn leaf crafts